Skip the yardwork and fire up your scroll saw—15 spring projects that are fun, useful, and sellable.
Spring’s here, and everything’s blooming — including your pile of scrap wood. Before it turns into a squirrel condo, let’s put that stuff to use. The scroll saw doesn’t always get the spotlight in the shop, but it should. It’s precise, fast, and strangely relaxing once you get in the groove.
So instead of pretending you love raking leaves, here are 15 scroll saw projects to keep your hands busy and your brain off yardwork.
Nothing says “I acknowledge spring” like flowers you don’t have to water. Try scrolling out layered flower designs or silhouettes of blooming branches. Birch or maple plywood works great, and you can stain or paint it to match your aesthetic — or your spouse’s aesthetic, let’s be honest.
Basic birdhouses are fine, but scroll-sawed entryways, decorative eaves, or even tiny nameplates give your feathered neighbors a luxury upgrade. Don’t forget ventilation holes unless you’re building for goth birds who love the dark.
Great use for offcuts. Cut out a variety of butterfly designs, then hang them on fishing line or mount them on stakes for the garden. It’s a good starter project for tuning up your scroll saw control after a long winter break.
Sure, you could use popsicle sticks, but come on — you’ve got skills. Scroll out plant names in cursive or script and glue them onto cedar stakes. They’ll rot slower, look cooler, and boost your garden cred with the neighbors.
Got a family name or a sarcastic slogan in mind? Scroll it into a sign. Add a backer board, hit it with some stain or paint, and boom — you’ve got a spring porch upgrade that didn’t come from HomeGoods.
Layered coasters with tulips, bees, or trees cut into the top? Yes. Protecting your furniture from condensation and impressing guests? Double yes. Seal them well or they’ll soak up more water than a sponge in a carwash.
Make a base “Welcome” sign with a slot or hook, then scroll out seasonal inserts like eggs, flowers, or little birds. It’s like decorating without committing to a full redesign every season.
Scroll saw wind spinners are oddly hypnotic and make great use of symmetry patterns. They’re easy to batch out and sell, too, if you’re looking to make a few bucks for your next tool purchase.
Take a scene — trees, deer, hills, whatever — and scroll it into several layers of plywood. Stack ‘em up with spacers for depth, and you’ve got a beautiful 3D shadow box. Toss in an LED strip for bonus points.
Whimsical? A little. Fun? Absolutely. Scroll out gnome shapes, paint them like the funky weirdos they are, and let them haunt your garden with their eternal cheer. Or make zombie gnomes. No rules here.
Scroll out shapes — birds, flowers, initials — and attach hooks to the bottom. Boom, functional wall art. Great for keys, jackets, or that random dog leash that keeps disappearing.
Use your scroll saw to cut a fun or intricate top edge, maybe a mountain skyline or your town’s name. Add some slots or hooks underneath and you’ve got a practical entryway piece that looks way more complicated than it is.
Real eggs are fragile and weirdly expensive these days. Scroll some layered or lacy eggs from 1/4″ ply and paint them in pastels. They store flat, don’t rot, and won’t offend anyone allergic to dye tablets.
Every trendy garden has one. Scroll-sawed entry patterns make your insect hotel look like a real art piece, not just a box of holes. Use different woods and diameters to attract bees, ladybugs, and other helpful garden freeloaders.
Got floating shelves? Spice them up with small scroll-sawed accents — a leafy vine edge, floral corner brackets, or seasonal cutouts you can swap out. Wood glue, a little paint, and you’re decorating like a pro.
Scroll saws don’t need to collect dust (unless it’s from cutting). These spring projects are a fun way to sharpen your skills, impress your in-laws, or just justify staying in the shop a few hours longer. Bonus: most of them use scrap wood, which means you’re basically saving the planet while avoiding yard work.